Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons in Dominica face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. Sodomy, also known as "buggery", is illegal for both heterosexuals and homosexuals. Dominica provides no recognition to same-sex unions, whether in the form of marriage or civil unions, and no law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Legality of same-sex sexual activity
Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Dominica. Anal intercourse and oral sex between persons of the opposite sex are also illegal. Between 1995 and 2000, 35 people were arrested by local authorities and charged with buggery. The courts sentenced all the offenders to fines and prison sentences up to ten years. Some were sent to local psychiatric hospitals for "treatment". In 2001, 15 women were arrested and sentenced to five years' imprisonment. The charge brought against them was gross indecency. Ten men were also sentenced to five years' imprisonment for "engaging in gross indecency with people of the same sex." The Sexual Offenses Act 1998 has two sections dealing with same-sex sexual activity.
Section 14. Any person who commits an act of gross indecency with another person is guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to imprisonment for five years.
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In this section, "gross indecency" is an act other than sexual intercourse by a person involving the use of the genital organ for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire.
Section 16. A person who commits buggery is guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to imprisonment for -
twenty-five years, if committed by an adult on a minor;
ten years, if committed by an adult on another adult;
five years, if committed by a minor;
and if the Court thinks it fit, the Court may order that the convicted person be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
Any person who attempts to commit the offence of buggery, or is guilty of an assault with intent to commit the same, is guilty of an offence and liable to imprisonment for four years, and, if the Court thinks it fit, the Court may order that the convicted person be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
In this section, "buggery" means sexual intercourse per anum by a male person with a male person....
Decriminalisation efforts
In 2013, Catholic Bishop Gabriel Malzaire called for the repeal of the law, saying, "I wish to make it clear that the Catholic Church in Dominica adheres to the call of the Holy See in its statement to the 63rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on the Declaration of Human Rights, sexual orientation and gender identity, "to condemn all forms of violence against homosexual persons as well as to urge all States to take necessary measures to put an end to all criminal penalties against them. …" The Catholic Church maintains that free sexual acts between adult persons must not be treated as crimes to be punished by civil authorities." In 2014, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said that "Dominica does not enforce its law against homosexual activity, at least in private homes, and has no plans to do so." In June 2019, a gay man in Dominica who wishes to remain anonymous announced plans to challenge the country's buggery law, with the help of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, a Toronto-based advocacy group, the University of Toronto's International Human Rights Program, Minority Rights Dominica, an LGBT advocacy group, and Lawyers Without Borders. The gay man has faced homophobic hostility, discrimination, harassment, threats, and physical and sexual assaults fueled by this law. In one instance, he was viciously attacked in his own home, yet police refused to investigate and allowed his attacker to remain free because of his sexuality, arguing that under Dominican law gay people are considered criminals. The man officially filed the lawsuit with Dominica's High Court of Justice in July 2019, challenging two provisions of the Sexual Offenses Act that criminalises anal sex and "gross indecency" with up to 10 years and 12 years in prison, respectively.
Official support of LGBT rights
In 2011, the Dominican delegation to the United Nations signed onto the "Joint statement on ending acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity". It is the only UN member state in the Lesser Antilles to have done so.
Social conditions
Opposition to gay tourists
Bill Daniel, president of the Evangelical Association speaking on behalf of the group, made the following statement in 2009: "We want the government to ensure that gay tourists do not come to the island and conduct themselves in any immoral way." The association protested against allowing gay cruises to visit the island and promoting Dominica as a "gay tourist destination".
Anti-LGBT violence
There have been suspected hate crimes against individuals believed to be homosexuals in Dominica. Persons in a dispute may use derogatory words like "buggerman" or "battyman" to refer to "effeminate" men. In 2010, a Portsmouth man, Clement James, was stabbed to death after being accused of "watching" his male assailant in a public place. The accused, Davis St Jean, allegedly had a habit of singing and preaching aloud in the street about killing gay people. Before stabbing Clement, he reportedly said "all battie boi must dead".
LGBT culture
A 2011 academic submission to the United Nations stated that LGBT groups in Dominica are forced to operate underground because of fear that their members will be victimised. Members who are openly gay complain of acts of vandalism committed against their property. Reports made to the police are not taken seriously and the victims are sometimes ridiculed.
LGBT associations
Minority Rights Dominica is an LGBT advocacy group in Dominica, working to advance LGBT rights in the country. Its founder is Darryl Philip.
